Butterfly Effect
by Lyrista
Summary: By now we all know the Kingdom Hearts story of how both Kairi and Riku disappear from the Destiny Islands during the Night of Fate. What if Kairi doesn't disappear? What if her bequeathed power awakens a whole year early? What if Riku doesn't end up where he usually does? Watch as the butterfly wings flap and things steadily begin to go off the rails KH Novelization semi AU
1. Chapter 1: The Night of Fate

Author note: Hey everyone, Lyrista here. I'm making my debut back on the Fanfiction circuit after a lengthy absence. I'm talking years here. You'd think I'd choose a series that has a plot a tad less complicated to write a story about than Kingdom Hearts but apparently I'm just a glutton for punishment. Part of the fun will be trying to weave things together to keep the plot coherent, but I have high hopes I'll be able to get it done. I honestly can't promise any sort of real schedule to my pitiful Internet scribblings, but I'd like to think I at the very least won't just up and abandon the story without at least having the courtesy to give you a heads up. This fanfic was inspired by the writings of author Marsuvees. If it wasn't for his/her KH novelizations, this plot bunny would never have been born, and spent weeks kicking my skull in until I begged for mercy and promised to write it. They've finished novelizations for KH1 and KH2 so drop by and read them if you're interested. I also will be posting this fic on at some point under my account with the same name as this one. Without further stalling I give you….

Chapter 1: The Night of Fate

The young girl was dreaming. Dreaming of a time long past. Dreaming of the day when the innocence of her world was cracked for the first time. The young girl dreamed of her first encounter with the darkness that could spawn from the human heart. The young girl dreamed of her encounter with a special person who would herald the very first turnings in the gears of her destiny….

-Radiant Garden-

The piercing scream of a little girl's terror rang through the morning air as four year old Kairi Mikaze ran through the Castle's garden, a bouquet of freshly picked flowers clutched in her tiny hand. Her little lungs burning as she frantically searched for someone, anyone to help her. Pursuing her was several purple imp like creatures, moving with serpentine grace along the ground and some even through the sky, as their glowing red eyes fixed on their prey pursuing her relentlessly. Having found no one for several heart pounding minutes, Kairi could feel the icy claws of despair tightening around her heart. That was when she saw her.

Just as Kairi had reached the front gates of the castle, she spotted a strikingly beautiful blue haired woman, dressed in an exotic black bodysuit holding a strange key shaped sword in her hand standing at the top of the stairs leading up to the castle gates. Without even thinking Kairi froze at the sight of her as she could feel deep within an instinct telling her that this woman would help her. This woman was a protector. Unfortunately this momentary pause allowed the creatures to catch up to her and surround her, trapping Kairi against the castle wall. The creature nearest to her flowed up and struck at her with one of it's razor sharp appendages.

With another cry of fright, Kairi twisted away from the strike just barely managing to avoid getting hit, even as the creature tore a gash in her white dress. "No! Run!" The woman called out to her urgently as the monsters struck at her once more. Ducking under the strike by pure luck, Kairi ran frantically to the blue haired woman reaching her side as the creatures gathered to face the new threat.

Still clutching her flowers in her right hand, Kairi's left hand touched the woman's sword shaped key as she looked up at her, Kairi's eyes silently pleading to her for help. The woman's eyes widened slightly, "I can feel the light….." she murmured as she looked into the innocent eyes of the little girl feeling a sudden connection with her.

Neither of them noticed that the key shaped sword suddenly pulsed with a soft light. Neither of them would realize until much later the significance of this moment, and how it changed the little girl's fate forever….

The woman's gaze snapped over to the advancing creatures as they hardened in determination before she glanced at Kairi in concern. "There's no way I can fight like this….." she muttered as she stepped in front of Kairi protectively. Kairi huddled behind the woman as the creatures leaped at her protector only for yet someone else to jump in. An anthropomorphic mouse-person dressed in a silver/grey suit and pants wielding another key shaped sword that looked like a blue cane adorned with a star.

The mouse-person had swiftly cut down the attacking monster and landed in front of them. He stood ready, sparing a moment to glance at duo behind him.

"Hurry! Ya got to get that girl to someplace safe!" the mouse-person exclaimed.

"Who are you? Why do you have a keyblade?" her protector asked, the woman's surprise making them all forget about the remaining monsters for the moment.

"I'll tell ya later! Right now we gotta stop these things!" the mouse-person insisted. Her protector nodded and Kairi let out a cry of surprise as she was swiftly scooped up and carried away as she was taken to the stairs and away from the impending fight.

Her protector set her down on the steps and knelt down to eye level with her. "Alright honey, stay here and keep out of sight ok?" Kairi nodded her understanding and was rewarded with a smile from the woman as she spun and charged back up the steps to join the mouse person who was just preparing to face off against the remaining imp monsters.

After a moment Kairi crept up the stairs, stopping just short of the top as well as keeping low to the ground so she could see what was happening just as her protector rejoined the mouse-person who was surprised to see her return.

"Everything alright?" he asked. Her protector nodded firmly as she took her stance, keyblade at the ready. "Alright then, lets get em!" the mouse-person exclaimed as the duo and the monsters charged each other. The battle was on.

Kairi watched in amazement, transfixed by the blue haired woman's graceful attacks. She flowed around the monsters like water, never staying in one place for long as the imp monsters attacks hit nothing but air with each swing, the woman's keyblade retaliating with punishing blows sending the monsters flying back.

"THUNDER!" The woman called out, raising her keyblade to the sky.

Kairi jumped in surprise as crackling golden bolts of power rained down from the heavens blasting three of the imps asunder as they perished with shrieking cries, as at the same time the mouse-person finished cutting down the other two imps with precise slashes from his own keyblade.

Kairi gasped in surprise as yet more monsters materialized in bursts of sickly black light around the duo. Strange plant like creatures, flying birds, even what looked like a giant hourglass monster as more and more appeared.

But her protector was undaunted. Even as her thunder spell finished, coursing bursts of electrical energy surged around her body and burst forth in an aurora of power. Her protector was clad in a surging cloud of electric energy as she surged forward and tore into the pack of monsters with renewed vigor.

The battle raged on as Kairi watched. A dazzling array of magic displayed for the single member of the audience. Massive balls of fire incinerated the plants. Even larger storms of lightning tore the bird monsters apart. Massive chunks of ice crushed all the creatures who dared to come near. All the while her protector moved through the battle with grace and calm confidence, as the little girl looked on with childish wonder.

Soon it was all over. Only her protector and the mouse-person remained…..

Kairi rejoined them as both her protector and the mouse-person introduced themselves to each other, learning their names were Aqua and Mickey. Just as the duo made plans to join forces, suddenly Mickey was whisked away by a glowing item in his pocket. Kairi watched in amazement as the glowing light whizzed off into the sky almost as if it was a shooting star in reverse! But how can a shooting star go in reverse!? Much less in daytime at that! Mickey's voice drifted down to them as he promised to see them both very soon.

Now she was alone with her protector. With a sudden flash of inspiration, Kairi held out the bouquet of flowers to Aqua with a big smile on her face. "Here!"

Aqua knelt down to eye level with Kairi. "Are these for me?" She asked.

Kairi nodded as Aqua took the flowers, "Yes, these are for you! Thank you for saving me!"

"Oh they're lovely, you're so sweet!" Aqua smiled as she looked at her gift in her hand.

"My name is Kairi! It's nice to meet you!" she said as she bowed to her. Aqua chuckled and gently tousled her hair making the little girl giggle. "It's nice to meet you too, I'm Aqua."

Aqua paused for a moment, "Kairi about that light…." she began before she was suddenly cut off as her Keyblade appeared in her hand as the flowers she was given suddenly shined with a bright light, startling them both.

Kairi watched in awe as Aqua's blue keyblade glowed with light before suddenly changing form completely. The new keyblade was a beautiful golden color. One side of the hilt of the weapon was formed in the shape of a breaking ocean wave, while the other is formed into a beige vine of sand that wraps around the shaft, which is colored to resemble a sunset. The vine connects to a bouquet of colorful flowers looking exactly like the ones Kairi had picked, which formed the teeth of the Keyblade and entwine to outline a heart. A red silken keychain connects the hilt to a token on the end shaped like a star.

"It's beautiful….." Kairi whispered, her eyes shining with wonder almost as if she could feel the weapon itself resonating with her. Aqua inspected the keyblade with shock. "I don't understand…..it wasn't even a keychain….how did the keyblade change?" she was silent as she inspected it for a moment more.

"Destiny's Embrace…...is this fate?" she wondered out-loud. Before she could say anything else a woman's voice rang out through the courtyard.

"Kairi!"

Both Kairi and Aqua turned toward the castle as the doors opened and an elderly woman, flanked by a squad of 8 of the castle guards in uniform, the emblem of a heart on their chests.

"Oh, Grandma!" Kairi exclaimed as the group ran up to her.

"Kairi, sweetheart are you alright? Was it more of those monsters again?" The elderly woman asked, but before Kairi could even answer she was swept up into a tight embrace by her Grandmother.

"Please darling, those creatures took your parents from me, I couldn't bear it if they took you too." she whispered into Kairi's ears as Kairi felt a twinge of guilt in her heart at her Grandmother's tear-choked words. After a moment of embracing her tightly, her Grandmother let her go and turned to address Aqua who had been watching in respectful silence.

"Thank you young lady for protecting my Granddaughter, she's all I have left."

"I'm just glad I was able to arrive in time, I wouldn't be able to bear it if such a sweet little girl had been hurt." Aqua smiled as she knelt before Kairi once again. "There's one more thing I can do for you." she gently touched the pendant Kairi was wearing which briefly glowed with a gentle pulse of magic as Kairi felt a gentle warmth infuse her. "I just cast a spell on you, one day if you're in trouble, the light within you will lead you to the light of another. Someone to keep you safe."

"Thanks!" Kari beamed with a smile, as her Grandmother added, "Won't you stay for awhile? We have to thank you properly for protecting our…." but her Grandmother was cut off as suddenly as a strange mechanical monster floated by, the humming sound of it's helicopter blades humming as it moved toward the town.

"Unversed!" Aqua growled, "It never ends!" turning to the group, "Thank you for your offer but I have to go, I'll take out the unversed, please protect the town!" she addressed the guards before turning and running down the stairs in pursuit.

"I wish she was able to stay longer," Kairi said wistfully watching the vanishing form of her protector in the distance. "I'm sure we will see her very soon." her Grandmother assured her as she held the little girls hand.

However, this was the last time Kairi ever saw Aqua…..

-Destiny Islands-

Her eyes snapped open as she drowsily rubbed her eyes, feeling the beginnings of a headache pounding in her temples. "That dream again…...that's the third time this week…." she muttered to herself looking up at the ceiling of her bedroom. It had been 9 years since she had arrived at the islands, and she had just recently turned 14 years old.

Ever since that fateful day….

 ***static** *

She winced as pain lanced through her head, disjointed memories tumbling through her mind. A rough hand grabbing her arm and dragging her along.

 ***static***

Hordes upon hordes of dark creatures, wriggling shadows, and dark beings. A woman's cruel cackling laughter.

 ***static***

A dim room housing a strange door. The door creaking open revealing a portal of black almost soulless darkness. Her pleading cries to let her go in vain as she is thrown in…..

 ***static***

Breathing heavily as she clutched her head, Kairi sat up in her bed as she forced her thoughts away from that dark spiral.

"Stop it…..nothing good comes from trying to remember that….." she muttered to herself. She was happy now, having met wonderful friends on the islands. The mayor of the town having kindly taken her in and raised her as if she was his very own. She smiled as she reflected on those happy years and the love she felt for her surrogate father filling her heart. He had been widowed many years before with his wife's passing and Kairi's arrival had filled a void in his life that had been slowly consuming him.

She had also made fast friends with the other local kids on the islands. Especially the trio of Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie. Let's not forget her two best friends, the ones who had found her the very night she had arrived on the island during a meteor shower, Sora Hidaka and Riku Kouzai. They had found her half drowned drifting in the sea near the island they were watching the meteor shower together.

Barely able to remember anything about herself, it was Sora and Riku's companionship that had helped her pull herself together and recover. Their kindness blossoming into a close friendship as the duo quickly became a trio.

Both boys were fascinated by her, as this unknown girl seemed to have literally appeared out of thin air. Or even another world as Riku had said. As the years passed this curiosity grew into a wanderlust that culminated into their summer project of building a raft to sail away to try to reach other worlds. She knew she was content with her new life, happy even, but even she could not deny the curiosity to see just what was out there…. Maybe she could even find…..

A crashing peal of thunder sounded out, almost deafening in its volume cause Kairi to almost leap out of her skin as she rushed over to her bedroom window to open it and look outside.

Dark clouds were massed on the horizon, seemingly directly overhead the small island where she and the other Destiny Island kids often spend their days playing and relaxing. Purple lightning blazed across the sky as the winds whipped up nosily, but bizarrely enough not even a single drop of rain was falling. Looking further up, Kairi's mouth fell open.

"Wh….what in the world!" she gasped as a massive glowing orb of purplish darkness blazed over the island. "What's going on….I've never seen a storm like this before!" Purple lightning lit up the night again as she realized something else. "The raft!"

Changing out of her pajamas and into her usual clothes, she grabbed a raincoat before slipping out of the house quietly and dashing for the town's dock as she climbed into her own personal boat and began to row out to the island in hopes of saving the raft that the trio had spent the summer building.

As she rowed out to the island as quickly as she could, Kairi couldn't help that her gaze was drawn to the pulsing orb of darkness in the sky. "What could that be? Why do I feel like….." the world seemed to lurch as a wave of nausea struck her. "Ugh!" she groaned struggling to hold on to the oars as the waves in the sea continued to increase in intensity, throwing the boat around. "Darn it Kairi, what part of you thought going to the island in the middle of the night in a storm was a smart idea!" she berated herself as the wind blew sea spray into her face blinding her for a moment.

 ***static***

The world distorted yet again as the sound of roaring water filled the young girl's ears. Her boat lurched again as the swells of water grew into a tidal wave of water that beared down on her which would surely smash her small boat to splinters.

Time slowed to what felt like a crawl as the transfixed girl stared at her oncoming doom with shocked eyes, unable to move or react. Helpless to save herself from certain destruction.

The moment passed and the boat was smashed in half as the young girl's limp body was thrown from it and fell into the unforgiving sea.

The suffocating sounds of the roaring sea seemed to fade away into nothing as the girl sank deeper and deeper into the water. A void that felt as if it expanded without end.

The world flickered as the four year old girl jerked awake on the beach of the island, the warm welcoming sun blazing in the sky as she got to her feet as a brown spiky haired youth in a white shirt and red shorts, and a silver haired youth in a yellow shirt and black shorts both waved to her as they ran up to her calling her name.

The world flickered again as the 14 year old girl ran along the beach lit by the beautiful sunset of the setting sun as she called to the distant forms of Sora and Riku who both turned and glanced at her before smiling as they turned away and walked off in different directions. Riku strode to a mysterious being shrouded in a brown cloak, Sora ran towards another unknown person in a black hooded cloak. The girl continued to call to her friends, but they didn't seem to hear her before the young girl tripped and fell forward.

Yet instead of falling face first into the warm sand of the beach, she instead plunged into the cold water of the sea as she plunged further and further down, her consciousness growing faint. "How am I even breathing?" she wondered in a daze. Even that simple thought a struggle in the haze. With an effort she shifted to right herself as she fell so instead of landing face first she'd land on her feet. Just as her feet touched down at the bottom of the sea, the ground itself seemed to melt away as a warm light glowed beneath her.

Shielding her eyes against the bright light, Kairi gasped as she found herself on a vast glass platform, depicting a mural of the Destiny Islands themselves, as she saw herself sitting in the shade of the Paopu tree as she leaned back against it, the image of herself looking at the Wayfinder charm she held in her hands. Situated over her head in three separate circles were the faces of Sora, Riku, as well as the image of Aqua.

-Unknown Location-

Kairi walked along the mural, taking it in as each step she made echoed a soft hum of her footsteps as she moved. It was then, she noticed something odd. "My raincoat? It's gone….." she was dressed in her usual outfit, which was completely dry despite her bizarre sea adventure. Glancing around in confusion at the endless void, she couldn't help a sense of unease at the absurdity of it all. "Hello?" she ventured as she called out into the darkness, "Is anyone there?"

" _So much to do, so little time."_ a feminine voice intoned as Kairi jumped in surprise.

" _The door has already cracked open….you should have had more time, but it seems your destiny has grown impatient. Step forward….."_

A spotlight of light shown on a portion of the mural in front of her, as if inviting her to stand upon that spot.

"Wait!" she called out, "Where is this? What's going on?" but she received no response except for a sense of patience, as if the presence was just waiting for her to act. After hesitating a moment, Kairi stepped forward into the spotlight. Just as she did the mural she stood on seemed to pulse as three altars rose out of the ground around her. A flash of light sparked as an object appeared on each of the altars. A sword, a shield, and some sort of staff.

" _Potential exists within you, but you have to give it purpose and direction. Don't be afraid, reach out and grasp hold of your power and make it your own."_ the voice urged her as Kairi could indeed feel something beckoning her from each of the objects, as if she was looking at a part of herself.

Kairi walked up to the sword and reached out to grab hold of it, as memories of all the days Sora and Riku spent sparring with their wooden swords, even having mock battles with Selphie, Tidus and Wakka. Kairi smiled as she remembered watching Sora fight all three of them at once just this morning and finally win that match-up for the first time.

Kairi grasped the blue hilt of the sword as she inspected the emblem of the mouse head on the golden guard of the sword, giving it a few experimental swings as the voice spoke to her once more.

" _The power of the warrior…..invincible courage, the power to destroy all those who oppose you."_ Kairi couldn't help but wince at that last part, _"Is this the power that you seek?"_

 ***static***

The clashing sounds of blades fills the air, the screams of the dying, the begging of the doomed, the dark cackling of the victorious.

Pain

Fear

Terror

Hiding in a dark corner, praying that she was not seen, the prayer going unheard…..

Kairi shuddered as she dropped the sword, it disappearing in a glow of light to reappear on top of the altar it originally was on.

"No…...no I don't want that….." Kairi muttered as she backed away. The voice offered no response, but Kairi could feel no sense of condemnation, no judgment just acceptance.

Kairi moved toward the next altar which the shield quietly floated over. The shield was black with red trim, also having the emblem of the mouse-head on it. As she inspected the shield, the voice spoke again.

" _The power of the guardian. The kindness to protect your friends. A shield that will repel all. Is this the power you seek?"_

"This feels more like what I would want….." Kairi muttered as she considered this option. It felt right…..well almost right. Just not a complete match. "Not yet, there's one more option." Kairi put the shield back as she walked over to the last altar, where the staff was waiting for her.

Kairi couldn't help but giggle as she looked at the green staff which was topped by a blue, yes you guessed it, a blue mouse-head. "I'm sensing a bit of a theme here." she joked to herself, feeling a little of the tension of this strange situation lighten.

Kairi picked up the staff and as expected, the voice spoke to her once more.

" _The power of the mystic, inner strength. The power of creation itself. Is this the power you seek?"_

"The power of a mystic…..the staff is like what a magician would use….."

Kairi's eyes widened as she realized it. Magic. In her mind's eye she could see Aqua, the memories of her powerful magic still fresh in her mind, even after so many years. She could still feel the wonder and awe she had felt. The power of magic being used to protect. "If I choose this, I could even be like….."

Her hands tightened around the staff as she could feel herself fill with determination and raised her head as she called out to the voice.

"This is the power I want!" the staff vanished as a warmth infused her. She could feel something shift as new possibilities filled her.

" _So be it…."_ the voice intoned solemnly. _"But to receive power, you must give up power in exchange. Now Kairi, what aspect of yourself will you discard?"_

Kairi turned to look at the two remaining objects. "What will happen to the remaining item after I choose?"

" _It will remain a part of you. It will be another side of yourself as no heart can be defined by a single thing."_

Kairi staggered as the world seemed to lurch around her.

" _Hurry!"_ the voice urged as Kairi could hear an emotion in it's tone for the first time. _"Events are moving quickly and the door is almost open. We are running out of time."_

Glancing between the sword and the shield she nodded as the decision was made. "The sword. I'll surrender the sword."

" _You have chosen the power of the Mystic. You have discarded the power of the Warrior. Are you sure this is what you want?"_

"Yes, this is who I want to be!" she stated firmly.

" _So be it."_ the voice responded as the sword shattered into pieces and dissolved into shards of light while the shield simply vanished. The altars crumbled into dust and vanished as well.

" _ **Why did you abandon me?"**_ A girl's voice asked behind her. It was her own voice.

Kairi turned and jumped back as she found herself face to face with a carbon copy of herself, which was holding the sword she discarded pointed at her with a scowl on her face. Eyeing the sword warily, Kairi edged backward before she almost stepped back off the edge of the platform, struggling to maintain her balance she stepped away from the edge just in time, but again found herself face to face with her doppelganger as she returned to the middle of the platform.

" _ **Watch that first step, it's a long one."**_ the strange girl snarked with a grin before continuing, **_"You still didn't answer my question. Why did you abandon me?"_**

"What are you?" she whispered, not sure if she was asking the girl or just herself. The girl grinned before flipping the sword in the air and deftly catching it by the hilt in a playful gesture. _**"Isn't it obvious? I'm the part of you that you just let go of. Now stop stalling and answer the question."**_ the girl ordered, again pointing the sword at Kairi.

"I…." she grit her teeth and forced the rest out, "I don't want to be just a force of destruction! I don't just want to stab anyone who looks at me funny!"

She heard the other her laugh before her form flickered and disappeared right before she felt a presence behind her and the sudden sensation of the sword's blade resting against her neck.

" _ **What will you do when you face someone who words will not reach? What will you do if you find yourself against someone who simply wants to destroy you?"**_ the girl almost purred into her ear. Kairi's heart hammered in her chest as the blade at her neck moved ever so slightly and as she felt a thin trickle of liquid trickle down her neck. **_"What will you do if someone turns their blade on…..oh I don't know….Sora and Riku."_**

 _ ***pulse** *_

Something in her roared in defiance as a surge of power filled her. "GET AWAY!" she screamed as a blast of light burst from her body, sending the other Kairi flying and tumbling across the floor. Kairi took a step toward the other girl as a light flashed in her hand and suddenly the familiar staff from before appeared in her hand.

" _You've gained the power to fight. Use it to protect yourself and others."_

The other Kairi rose from the ground and readied her blade, and to Kairi's surprise took a stance that mirrored what she usually saw Riku do when fighting. She never even realized she herself had taken a stance similar to what Sora did.

" _ **There will be times you cannot avoid a fight Kairi. Show me how strongly your light burns!"**_ the girl darted forward and slashed at Kairi with an overhand cut as Kairi desperately and clumsily brought up the staff to block, wielding it as if it was a club. Kairi deflected and knocked aside three separate strikes before the next exchange had their weapons locked together as they each tried to push away each other's weapons.

Kairi strained as she tried to push back her opponent's sword, already feeling her muscles starting to burn from the effort while the other girl barely looked ruffled at all.

She's just toying with me….

A sinking feeling lurched in Kairi's stomach as the other girl suddenly began to exert strength and pushed far harder than before, quickly forcing Kairi to her knees as she desperately tried to keep the other girl's blade from biting into her.

" _ **Tell me something. What is you want out of life Kairi?"**_ her doppelganger said. She could barely contain her confusion, "What the heck do you mean!?" she gasped out as the blade inched ever closer to her. It was absurd! Her double was trying to cut her down and now she's getting asked the meaning of her life?

" _ **It's a simple question Kairi."**_ the girl stated calmly.

"I…..." Kairi grit her teeth and marshaled her will, she pushed back harder with her staff as she forced her way to her feet, "I want to find out what happened to my original home." as she spoke those words another surge of light flowed through her as a blast of light flowed through her staff and broke the stalemate and threw the other girl back who flipped in the air and gracefully landed on her feet.

" _ **What if you don't like what you find? Is closure really that important?"**_

Kairi tried to hold onto that feeling of light surging through her as she swung her staff at her distant foe, a ball of light shooting from her staff and flying at the other girl who smirked before slashing at the ball of light and to Kairi's shock, hit it straight back at her which knocked her to the ground with a cry of pain.

The other girl calmly waited while Kairi struggled to her feet, trying to fight off the pain throbbing in her body.

" _ **Next question on our little quiz. Tell me Kairi, what is most important to you?"**_

Kairi narrowed her eyes as she charged the other girl, lashing out with her staff as fast as she could to try to catch the other girl off guard, yet to no avail. Every strike was blocked, every blow turned aside with ease as the frustrated girl shouted at her mirror image, "If you're me, that should be obvious! My friends and family!"

" _ **Yet you're willing to leave most of them behind to go sailing off to other worlds. Are friends and family such a big deal?"**_ the girl asked.

A wave of hot rage surged through her as she smashed aside the other girl's lazy block and landed a punishing blow across the other girl's left cheek with the head of the staff. "Don't you dare say that! They mean everything to me!"

Her doppelganger staggered back rubbing her struck cheek, which already had an angry purple bruise on it. Then the girl flashed another smirking grin.

" _ **I see I touched a nerve there. These are some pretty simple questions, tell me Kairi, what are you so afraid of?"**_

The duo continued to duel, their weapons clashing in the silence of this mysterious place. Kairi suffered multiple minor cuts, but the doppelganger never followed up on them, even Kairi with her limited battle experience watching the others in their play matches saw four separate times that her double could of finished the battle and cut her down. So why?

" _ **No answer? C'mon dear this quiz is over half your grade for the class after all! Ah well, I guess I'll give you a hand. You clearly can't beat me and you know it. I'd say what you're really afraid of is…."**_

Anger surged through Kairi again as she redoubled her attacks, trying to smash through the contemptuously mocking guard of her counterpart, anything not to hear…

" _ **You're afraid that you're a burden."**_

The damning words were finally spoken as with a surge of strength the other Kairi knocked her flying with a powerful swing and sent her to the ground as her staff tumbled from her hand and rolled off the side of the platform and disappeared into the abyss.

" _ **Something bad happened to our original world….you remember the monsters….you remember the darkness…..you remember that it was looking for something."**_

The girl calmly regarded the fallen Kairi before continuing.

" _ **They were looking for you."**_

Kairi couldn't help but flinch as the other girl spoke the secret fear that had haunted her heart as well as her dreams as she sauntered forward at a lazy pace, her gaze locked on her.

" _ **How many people tried to protect you that night? How many people died trying? Will we ever really know?"**_

Tears filled Kairi's eyes as the guilt in her heart came to the surface once more. "Stop it…..please…..don't say anymore." she pleaded.

" _ **But hey, at least you're happy here on the islands!"**_ the girl announced cheerfully. **_"Getting to grow up free and happy on the islands and all it took was the sacrifice of the countless lives of the innocent!"_**

"Stop….please stop…..."

" _ **Those other worlds might be dangerous though. Who knows what might happen? Oh well, our little bosom pals Riku and Sora said they'd protect you didn't they?"**_ The girl tapped her cheek with a finger pretending as if she was thinking as she drew nearer to the downed Kairi. **_"Hmm…...I wonder which of them will die for you first? Maybe it'll be Riku."_** she again pretended to ponder for a moment before leaning over Kairi with a mocking smile, _**"Or maybe it'll be dear old Sora instead!"**_

Something snapped within her.

"SHUT UP!" she yelled as she raised her hands toward the other girl, the light within her responding to her rage once more as a torrent of radiance blasted the other girl away as a re-energized Kairi surged to her feet, the staff reappearing in her hand in a flash of light.

"I'm not a burden! I never will be that way ever again!"

A flash of memory in her mind, a blue haired woman raising her sword shaped key to the heavens, summoning her power to shape nature itself to her will…..

Energy surged through Kairi as with a combination of memory and sheer instinct she raised her staff and spoke the word to unleash the power within her screaming to be used.

THUNDER!

A searing golden bolt lanced down from the heavens and struck her doppelganger head on as a flash of light blinded her.

The timeless moment seemed to last a short eternity as everything seemed to freeze in place as Kairi heard her foe speak….

" _ **Atta girl…..I knew you had it in you."**_

The moment passed as Kairi found herself standing over her fallen double who was slowly fading away, even as Kairi's own wounds disappeared.

"Why? What was the point of all this?" she found herself asking.

" _ **To gain a power, you had to lose a power. You had to get rid of me completely to finish awakening your power. Our heart grows through our experiences, our good ones as well as our sad ones. Everyone is like this."**_

"I needed to face myself? Is that what this was?"

" _ **More or less. I don't have all the answers of course. I AM you after all."**_ the girl let out a soft chuckle at that. **_"Something is happening out there in the islands. Something very very wrong. I know you felt it. If they've come for us again, we have to be ready. It looks like our journey is going to start in the dead of night….it's going to be hard on you at first, but hang in there. I know you can get through this. After all….."_** she smiled at Kairi extending her hand out to her which Kairi took with her own smile.

"I am you after all." Kairi finished her double's statement.

" _ **There's hope for you yet."**_

A bright light shone from the duo's handclasp and filled the area as Kairi's awareness faded away.

-Destiny Islands-

Kairi groaned as she came back to awareness, lying face down on a hard surface. As she pushed herself to a sitting position her eyes widened. "The island!?" she had made it to the island she had set out to reach, her boat bumping up against the dock of the island. Wait…..

"My boat? How is it intact? I was sure it was broken!" then she realized something else, "My raincoat is still gone? What's going on here?" Her boat had definitely been broken when she had been thrown into the sea, and yet mysteriously it was perfectly intact as if nothing had ever happened. Yet somehow her raincoat had vanished in transit as well.

"That strange place….did all of that really happen?" she raised her hand and looked at it as if expecting something to appear within it.

Nothing.

She sighed as she glanced around the dark island again, uneasily feeling the oppressive presence around her, the blazing purple ball of darkness burning in the sky casting its dim light in the area but every corner of the island was still filled with dark shadows, shadows she felt could swear that they were looking at her….

"The raft…...I have to check on the raft and then get out of here." she muttered, "I don't have time for this." As she climbed out of her boat and tied it to the dock to secure it, she spotted on the other side of the dock another boat. "That's Riku's boat! Is he here already?"

Kairi scanned the island with her eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of her friend before her gaze was captured by a truly bizarre sight that blew every other thought out of her mind. The passage to the secret place, a small cave where many of the island kids scratched drawings on the wall with rocks was covered by a strange ornate door.

"What in the world…..?" she whispered as she moved to inspect the door, not even noticing shadows all around the seashore that had slowly begun to coalesce into small dark shapes with clawed hands and dark antennae on their small bodies.

When Kairi pulled open the door and disappeared into the passageway, she completely missed the arrival of a third boat in which rode a spiky brown haired boy…..

The air in the passage was foul and oppressive, Kairi felt her gorge rise as she struggled to continue. Her temples throbbed with pain as she could feel darkness all around her.

"Something is here…..something bad….."

The island kids knew there was nothing truly special here. Just an empty cave with it's lack of a ceiling allowing natural light for them all to see with. The only truly interesting thing in it was the strange door that would not open. There was no knob, no lock, and it didn't respond to pushing and there was nothing on the door they could use for purchase to try pulling. It was almost as if it was just part of the wall if it wasn't for it's clearly door shaped nature. It was simply a fun place to explore and draw in.

Tonight was different.

A palpable malice beat down on her as something unseen lurked in the shadows, something filled with an endless hunger driven to feed and feed until there was nothing left to feed on. The miasma of darkness floated all around her but centered on the unopenable door at the back of the cave. To Kairi's shock she could actually see thin whisps of darkness seeping out from behind the cracks in the wall that was the door.

The world lurched as she could of sworn she felt something strike at the back of the door as the sense of darkness grew stronger as nausea surged through her. Was something trying to get out? Or was something trying to get in? She knew she needed to do something, she could feel an urge from deep within. Dazed from the suffocating feel of the darkness she reached toward the door with a trembling hand.

"Kairi!" a boy's voice sounded from behind her. A very familiar voice.

The world spun and lurched around her as she fought past the nausea in her stomach and the pain in her head as she turned around and saw him. It was Sora, looking at her with concern.

-Sora-

He had come to the island after seeing the strange storm engulfing it, worried about the state of their raft that they had worked so hard to build and was almost finished.

This concern quickly vanished when he saw the boats of his two friends already there. Searching frantically for them, he found his steps dogged by the strangle little shadow creatures from the strange dream he had yesterday that his wooden sword couldn't hurt. Fleeing from the creatures, that he had dubbed "shadows" in the privacy of his mind, he continued his search before coming across Riku underneath the Paopu tree looking up at the ball of darkness overhead.

Sora tried to entreat his friend to help him look for Kairi, but Riku stated this was their only chance to get to another world and that Kairi was going to come with them before extending his hand out to join him as a cloud of darkness rose around them, grabbing hold of Riku. Sora tried to reach out to his friend but the darkness began to grab ahold of him as well. It seemed as if he'd get dragged in along with Riku before all the sudden a strange light burst into being and Sora found himself holding a giant key in his hand with a mouse-head shaped keychain on it and Riku was nowhere to be seen.

Before Sora even had time to digest this, more Shadows continued to attack him. Unlike before his new weapon, the Keyblade as it seemed to be called was far more effective in destroying the shadows. He fought his way through them, destroying many before he too noticed the door covering the passageway to the secret place. Upon entering it, he found standing before the unopenable door Kairi with a spaced out expression and an empty look in her eyes.

"Kairi!" he called out to her as she slowly turned around to face him.

"So…..ra…..." she murmured in a dull lifeless tone before the previously unopenable door flew open with a bang as a great gust of wind blew Kairi off her feet straight at him!

Time slowed to a crawl as Sora opened his arms to catch Kairi…

The instant seemed to freeze in time.

For the briefest of instants Kairi's pendant glowed…..

The moment passed as Kairi slammed into Sora, sending them both flying as the blast of dark wind ejected them both from the cave.

-Kairi-

The two teens groaned as they fell face first into the sand as they pulled themselves up to sitting positions, only to find themselves staring off the edge of the landmass into a dark abyss that didn't seem to have a bottom.

They both gasped as they turned their heads to see themselves far closer to the purple ball of darkness in the say, the landmass they were on was almost directly underneath it as chunks of land circled around it as if caught in a gravitational pull.

"Kairi!" Sora shouted to gain her attention, as she turned to see what he was looking at. Her mouth fell open as she craned her head further and further back as standing before them was an enormous dark giant, seemingly made of shadows itself, and empty hole in it's chest shaped like a heart, and what looked like dark tentacles for hair.

"Kairi get back! I'll handle this!" he shouted as a giant key appeared in his hand with it's yellow handle and mouse-head keychain. "C'mon ugly! I beat you last time, I can do it again!" he shouted before running at the creature who acknowledged the challenge as it loomed up to it's full height and prepared to attack.

"That sword…." she whispered, "That's a…."

Keyblade….

Keyblade

Keyblade

The word seemed to be whispered on the air by many different voices.

How did Sora get a keyblade?

" _ **I don't think that's the real question here."**_ Kairi stiffened as she heard a familiar voice speak in her mind. **_"He's going to fight for you. Just like he promised. Will you just let it happen? Are you going to be just an objective to protect? Will you wait like a good little girl for her knight in shining armor to save her? There's no shame in it."_** the voice whispered to her.

Her hands clenched as she watched the giant try to crush Sora with it's enormous hands as Sora dodged around them, striking at the massive creature's wrists each time, inky clouds of darkness spilling from each wound. Another massive punch hit the ground as Sora jumped aside, an inky black cloud of darkness spilling from the epicenter of the blow, as little miniature shadows emerged from the dark portal. Most crawling after Sora to attack him, but not all of them.

Several began to gravitate toward her…..

" _ **Are you satisfied with being helpless? Are you content being protected? Will you be…..a burden?"**_

The shadows had almost reached her as the girl stood there with her eyes closed and her hand resting over her heart. It was then Sora realized her predicament….but he'd never make it in time.

"No." Kairi stated firmly, "No I will not."

" _ **Show me."**_

She could feel it. A presence inside her.

Warm and inviting. It was beckoning her. It was her. It only waited for her to bring it out. It had all happened by chance. If the other person involved had known about it, she would of stated it was an accident altogether.

Was in an accident? Or was it fate?

Another man would say, destiny is never left to chance.

The shadows pounced upon their seemingly helpless prey. Only to be cut cleanly in half in a flash of light as Kairi cut through them cleanly with the object she now held in her hand. A keyblade.

Destiny's Embrace.

She could feel it. The comforting grip, the satisfying weight, it's perfect balance. It was made for her. It was an extension of her. It felt right, she was whole.

The battle had ground to a halt as even the giant shadow seemed shocked by this sudden development. Sora quickly regathered his wits and cut down the remaining shadows. He had no idea how Kairi got a keyblade, but he wasn't about to kick a gift moogle in the pom-pom!

"Kairi! It's wrists! It's hands are a weak spot! Hit the head too if you can get a chance!"

"Yes!"

The two Keybladers charged the giant shadow, which Kairi had dubbed a Darkside in her head, and the battle was joined once more.

After several more attempts to flatten the duo with punches that were easily dodged and then when it tried to summon more shadows to assist it, Kairi kept the shadows away from Sora while he hammered away at the being's hand, the being knelt down and reared back as it gather energy in the empty hole shaped like it's heart.

"Sora, what's it doing?" she asked warily holding her keyblade ready, Sora doing the same.

"I don't know, I've never seen one do this before."

Neither had the chance to finish talking as the being was done charging up the energy as it began to rapidly fire balls of energy at the duo. Sora dodged out of the way, but with a flash of inspiration Kairi swung her keyblade at the energy ball and knocked it back at the giant hitting it in the face with it's own attack.

"Sora, hit them back! The energy balls can be reflected!" she called to her partner.

"You got it! This thing can't throw balls any faster than Wakka could after all!" he quipped confidently. As they both set about knocking the blasts back at their owner.

"Yeah and this is after he knocked you on your butt how many times?" she teased as she swatted another attack back.

"Oh cmon Kairi, that was just a few times!" Sora protested indignantly. "I've beat him way more times than that!"

"Uh huh, and what about this morning? He knocked you clean out and into the sea!" she grinned.

The giant creature seemed to gain a shadowy tick mark on it's temple before it reared back and punched at the duo again, almost as if to say "Stop ignoring me!" The two teens deftly dodged the attempt, the creature having size but was quite slow as they both slashed at the creature's wrist simultaneously, the trails of light blazed by their swings forming what seemed to be an X on it.

The creature screamed as they cut it's hand off completely and it staggered back, but before Kairi and Sora could follow up, the ball of darkness pulsed as a wave of power pulsed over them and a powerful wind began to gust and pull everything upward. The suction intensified as the dark giant was dragged off it's feet and pulled into the sky and vanished into the ball of darkness.

Kairi yelped as she was dragged off her feet and into the air, but before she could rise higher, Sora grabbed her wrist. "Hang on!" he yelled as he clung to a nearby piece of wood lodged in the ground with his other hand.

The two teens hung on for dear life as the pull intensified and the landmass seemed to disintegrate around them. Something had to give.

Finally it was the piece of wood itself as it broke under the strain of the force resulting in Sora and Kairi being pulled into the sky, crying out each other's names as their sole lifeline was the grip they had on each other's hand as they both vanished into the ball of darkness.

With that, the Destiny Islands ceased to exist as a whole world and all of it's people, were lost.

-Traverse Town-

Within district 1 of the town, two new arrivals, an anthropomorphic dog who was the knight captain of Disney castle, and an anthropomorphic duck who was the royal magician of Disney castle were walking through the town taking in the sights. The knight captain glanced at the sky, "Hmm?" he muttered gaining the attention of his companion before he pointed up at the sky, "Look! A star is going out!"

The duck mage grimaced as he saw what his friend was pointing to. Indeed a star was fading away, and disappeared completely as he watched. Yet another world lost…. "Cmon, lets hurry! We have to find the Key quickly!" his companion nodded wordlessly as they continued on, both of them followed by a yellow dog wearing a green collar.

"Where's that key!" the duck mage grumbled as he tried to rack his brain for where to start looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack of the worlds.

"Hey ya know, maybe we ought to go find Leon!" The knight captain spoke up as they passed in front of the accessory shop. The dog has passed them both heading to the left of the shop sniffing the ground as if following a scent, while the duck mage headed toward the right of it, not even realizing their canine companion was wandering off. Seeing this the knight captain pointed after the departing dog.

"Uh Donald. Ya know, I betcha that…." he began only for Donald to cut him off bad-temperedly. "Ah what do you know, you big palooka?" The knight captain seemed to consider this a serious question.

"What do I know?" He wondered out loud, glancing back at the departing dog who turned into an alleyway. "Hmmm….cmon Pluto!" he called out to the now identified dog as he walked off to follow Donald.

Pluto continued down the alleyway, following the scent that had caught his attention as after passing some crates he came upon what he was looking for.

Sora and Kairi unconscious and propped up against the wall, Kairi's left hand tightly held in Sora's right hand.

-Unknown Location-

Consciousness came back slowly to the silver haired youth. The last thing he remembered was stepping through the dark portal that would lead him to liberation from the tiny world that was the Destiny Islands. He slowly groaned as he got to his feet, swaying as he regained his balance. Taking in his surroundings, Riku Kouzai saw he was in what looked like a ruined house that had fallen into decay and disrepair. Stumbling over to a nearby window he looked outside and his eyes widened in amazement as he beheld the canopy of a vast jungle spread out before him.


	2. Chapter 2: Night of Fate ReverseRebirth

Hey everyone. Sorry for the delay. Here's chapter 2, hope you enjoy.

Chapter 2: Night of Fate Reverse/Rebirth

-Destiny Islands 10 years ago-

This world was just too small.

These words were always in the back of Riku Kouzai's mind, even at the tender age of five years old. Everyone knew everyone else in the sleepy town of the main island. You saw the same people each day, and did the same things. Even the local kid's adventures on the island eventually fell into routine before they slowly faded into dull tedium.

Day in and day out. Nothing really changed, and nothing ever would in the sunny Destiny Islands. Everything was safe and secure…..and unbearably boring. All that they knew was the series of islands and the seemingly endless oceans of their world. No way to leave. No way to escape. Except for that rumor of the one boy who somehow seemed to make it off the islands. Yet try as he might, Riku never could get a clear story about what happened, every person seemed to have a different version of the story.

Even on that day when he and his childhood friend Sora were playing, it was still all the same old thing. When Sora's father had arrived to pick them up and Sora challenged him to a race to the boat, Riku's heart just wasn't in it. As he walked down the bridge following after his friend, that's when he saw the stranger. A tall muscular man with brown spiky hair watching the ocean waves. As Riku turned toward him, the man turned to face him as well. As he now got a good look at him, Riku knew with surety that he had never seen this man before on the islands, and that could only mean….

"Hey….did you come from the outside world?" the boy asked.

The man seemed taken aback at this direct question.

"Huh? Why would you say that?" he responded.

"Because nobody lives out here, and I know you're not from the main island."

The man couldn't help but chuckle, "Smart kid." he regarded Riku for a moment before continuing, "So how about you? What are you doing here?"

Riku gestured toward Sora who was talking to his father on the boat at the pier. "My friend's dad took us out on his boat. This is where we like to play, but they won't let us row out here by ourselves until we're older."

The man's gaze traveled across the island before he turned back to Riku. "Must be hard, being stuck in one place."

Riku was sure now. This man understood. This man understood the thoughts that he hid in his heart. The longing, the feeling of confinement…. These feelings rose in him as Riku walked toward the shore line that the gentle waves were caressing.

"I heard once that there was a kid who left for good." Riku paused for a moment before turning back to the man who was staring at him with a strange expression on his face. "So how'd you get here anyway?"

Maybe this man could give me a clue on how to escape. If he knows how to get in, surely he must know how to get out…..

The man paused and frowned for a moment. It seemed he was choosing his words carefully.

"Is there some reason you're interested in the outside world?" he asked.

"Yeah, I want to be strong one day. Like that kid who left, he went to the outside world. I bet he's really strong now. I know it's out there somewhere. The strength that I need." Riku responded as he turned back to look at the ocean again as he envisioned that far off world….

"Strength for what?" the man prodded.

Riku turned back to the man and smiled.

 ***static***

The boy's lips moved as he gave the man his answer.

 ***static***

The man nodded as he was reassured by the boy's words, his decision now made.

"Outside this tiny world, is a much bigger one." the man stated as he walked closer to Riku and held out his hand as if grasping something. Riku's eyes widened as an ornate key shaped sword appeared in the man's waiting hand in a flash of light.

The man knelt down in front of the boy and extended the weapon to Riku, hilt first and began to speak a mysterious poem.

"In your hand take this key.

So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking….

It's wielder you shall one day be, and you will find me friend.

No ocean shall contain you then.

No more borders around, or below, or above.

So long as you champion the ones that you love."

Silently Riku reached out to the offered weapon, his small hand closing around the hilt. As soon as he did, he felt a comforting pulse of heat from the weapon that grew in his hand, traveled down his arm and felt as if it touched his very heart itself. This new warmth nestled itself there and Riku felt that he had something new, something not of this world… Was this key shaped sword the key to getting off this world? He said in the poem that he would one day wield it. When would this be?

As what felt like a thousand questions rose in him, it was at that time that Sora's shout came from across the beach startling both Riku and the man as the spell that seemed to envelop the two was abruptly broken.

"Riku! Cmon hurry it up!" they both turned toward the shout seeing Sora waving at Riku. As Riku waved back the man patted his shoulder as he banished his weapon from sight.

"You've got to keep this a secret ok? Otherwise all the magic will wear off." the man said with smile and tousled his hair.

"If we're going to meet again, I have to know your name." Riku asked. The man flashed a smile as he stood up.

"It's Terra." he said as he glanced at Sora who was running up to them, "Shouldn't you get going? Your friend is waiting."

Riku grinned as he bid his new friend goodbye and turned to run to meet Sora, his mind awhirl with these new possibilities. As he bantered with Sora, playfully dodging his attempts to get information about Terra and what he and Riku had talked about, Riku began to make plans for the future.

Thus time began to pass….

There had to be some way to awaken the power to use this sword shaped key. Since it looked like a sword, would he need to know how to use a sword? The little boy pursued his goal with the single minded determination that only a child could have.

With the help of some adults he was able to make a wooden sword. While it was undeniably a simple toy, it was a place to start and Riku practiced with it determinedly. It didn't take long for this to catch Sora's notice and due to the duo's natural competitiveness, Sora himself also had a toy wooden sword made and joined Riku in his sword training.

Riku welcomed the addition, there was only so much he could learn by himself, and having someone to test himself against pushed him to improve. They would spar together regularly, their play battles rough and uncoordinated, but little by little as time passed the two boys began to develop their own styles.

Their rivalry intensified as these battles became yet another thing for them both to compete with, as they kept score from their duels, Riku maintaining a lead over Sora being the better swordsman. Some of the other Destiny island children took an interest of their own and developed their own amateur fighting styles and Riku relished the additional challenges. It was all in innocent fun for the other children as they spent a lot of their time outdoors and had active life styles but for Riku it was all a way to get a little stronger, a little faster, and a little better with each battle.

The sword had to be the key, but how could he use it to leave the islands? Riku had thought long and hard about this and could only arrive to one conclusion. For a key, there had to be a door for it to unlock, but where was the door?

A year had passed as Riku methodically searched every nook and cranny that he could find on the islands. The only place that seemed out of the ordinary was the cave that the kids had dubbed the Secret Place on the island that they played. It looked like a strange wooden door carved out of the cave wall itself. It didn't have a handle, a lock, or even any sort of purchase to grab hold of to try to pull the door open and it didn't respond to any attempts to push it.

None of the children who saw the door ever noticed anything about it other than the strangeness of the door itself. As time passed by they all, one by one, eventually lost interest in it. Even Riku himself for the longest time could never see anything unusual about it.

It wasn't until shortly after the night Kairi arrived on the islands and entered their lives, did this change. Sora and Riku had visited the Secret Place and had been discussing their plans for the future. As they both turned and began to leave the cave, Riku felt something shift in him as he felt the sudden urge to look back at the door, not even realizing that the unaware Sora had already left the cave.

The door had changed. That featureless brown door now had a golden keyhole engraved in the center of the door.

This had to be it. The way out. The door that had to be unlocked for him to escape. A way out of his cage and into the outside worlds.

Freedom.

The locked cell door had finally been located. All the six year old boy needed was to bring out the key sleeping inside of him. The new girl's arrival was just further proof that the way in was still open, all that he had to do was open the way out.

Riku resolved to train even harder from this point out, but an unwelcome thought hovered in the back of his mind. What if he couldn't figure out how to bring out the key?

He extended his hand out in the same pose he remembered seeing Terra make. Concentrating inward he reached blindly for the sense of the key inside him. Nothing…

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to have a backup plan in case the key didn't work out.

Riku nodded as he turned and exited the cave, resolving to talk it out with Sora.

"He's a knucklehead, but he has some good ideas when he puts his mind to it." he muttered as he hurried to catch up to his friend.

The years continued to pass as Riku and Sora got to know Kairi and they became close friends. Riku continued to train and brainstorm ideas on how to tap into his sleeping power, but nothing seemed to work. His swordsmanship continued to improve as Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie were no longer able to match him. He regularly was able to beat them even three on one as they could no longer challenge him one on one. Only Sora continued to pose a challenge, continually nipping at his heels skill-wise. Riku still won more than he lost against Sora, but the uncertainty was thrilling.

Riku eventually turned 15…

-Destiny Islands Present Day-

Frustration.

Frustration and impatience had become Riku's constant companion.

Ten long years had passed and Riku was still no closer to awakening his power. Nothing he tried worked! No matter how much he trained, no matter how hard he worked, the sense of the power inside of him was still as unreachable as ever. He still visited the Secret Place every so often, the keyhole in the door almost seeming to taunt him. It was close enough to touch, but a world away in being able to do anything with it. With some careful questioning he found out that none of the other kids, not even Sora or Kairi could see the keyhole. Only he could.

They had spent their summer building a raft in their efforts to reach another world, this being the only thing the three of them could think of. That is, when he could get Sora off his lazy butt to pull his weight in building the raft! At least Kairi was more subtle when she slacked off herself.

Just yesterday, Kairi had found Sora sleeping on the beach as usual, not even finished with gathering his share of the materials while Riku himself was already done. Still Kairi distracted them by goading them into one of their usual races.

Sora even surprised him that day when during their usual duel, Sora defeated him rather decisively, something that honestly wounded his pride a little. That victory had brought their score to an even 50-50 in overall duels that Summer. Riku had started out with a substantial lead, but then Sora began to steadily close the gap. Especially with yesterday's battle, he seemed significantly different, almost as if an experience had changed him. Still the idea was silly, did he somehow achieve enlightenment during his lazy nap in the sands that morning?

Still it wasn't all bad, he had managed to get even by beating Sora at the race this morning. He even had a little fun teasing Sora about his crush on Kairi. Honestly it was cute the way those two would dance around each other. Riku honestly couldn't say for sure what he felt for Kairi, she felt somewhat like a little sister….but…

"Heh, guess I can't really laugh at Sora can I?" he grumbled to himself good naturedly before glaring at the unresponsive door in the Secret Place, the unresponsive keyhole mocking him with the usual silence. He could almost feel something, some sort of presence lurking just beyond the barrier. Just a few short steps away, yet it may as well have been a million miles away. Forever out of his reach.

A hot wave of anger surged through him as his gloved fist beat against the uncaring door.

"WHY….WONT…..YOU…...OPEN!" his growling shouts echoed as each word punctuated a strike against the door. Of course the only thing this resulted in was a throbbing pain in his sore hand as he grit his teeth in frustration. "Is there no way out of this world? Why…...why can't I bring out that key?"

" _ **This world has been connected…."**_

Riku spun around in shock at the unexpected male voice behind him only to find….

Nothing.

There was no one there.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Riku barked out his demand, the lingering sense of his irritation making him aggressive.

There was no response as the voice did not speak again. Riku spent the next few minutes carefully searching the cave but found no one. There really wasn't anywhere to hide either. Riku sighed at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation.

"Get a grip, now you're talking to imaginary voices in the air?" He looked up through the hole in the cave ceiling at the orange sky from the setting sun.

"It's getting late, I better get home. Got an early day tomorrow."

Tomorrow was finally the day. The raft was finished and they would finally set sail. The only reason they hadn't left today was how late in the day it was finished. Giving one final backward glance at the door, Riku strode out of the cave.

He never saw the wisps of darkness beginning to leak out of the keyhole in the door…..

-Destiny Islands Night of Fate-

Riku was lounging in bed in his bedroom as he mentally went over the checklist of items he was bringing tomorrow for the trip. The only thing he had yet to decide on was just what he was going to say to his parents, or if he was just going to leave a note explaining what was going on. As much as he wanted to leave he didn't want to just vanish into thin air. His parents deserved to at least know what was going on.

" _ **Riku….."**_

Riku bolted upright, searching his room for signs of the intruder, he could find nothing out of the ordinary.

" _ **It's time…..this world has been connected….tied to the darkness between worlds."**_

"Who's there? Who are you?" he said as he stood up and grabbed his wooden sword from where he left if propped up against his nightstand.

" _ **The path outside has been opened, but it will only stay open for a limited time."**_ as Riku listened he felt the voice seemed to be coming from outside his window. He rushed to his bedroom window and opened it only to see a shocking sight.

The massive storm clouds over the island he and the other kids played on and the burning ball of darkness in the sky.

"What the heck is this!?" he couldn't help but exclaim.

" _ **Hurry Riku, the clock is ticking. You have a destiny to fulfill and it won't happen here."**_

The voice was getting quieter as if it was fading away into the distance.

"Wait a minute, who are you? What destiny?"

" _ **Come to the island, the key cannot be lost here…."**_

The key! The voice knew about the key! He had also mentioned a path outside! This was it! The moment he had been waiting 10 years for. It was finally time!

All hesitation had vanished, Riku quickly dressed in his usual outfit and snuck out the door and hurried to the island. The storm winds were strong and the waves were treacherous, but Riku had been piloting his boat for years now and made the trip with little difficulty.

The darkness was thick on the islands, but with his goal so close the darkness held no fear for him. He glanced hurriedly around the island as he shouted, "Voice! Where are you? I'm here!"

Seconds passed without a response, and just as Riku was about to head toward the Secret Place he suddenly heard the familiar voice speak again.

" _ **You're here at last….yes the darkness holds no fear for one such as you. Now...come to me Riku, and I will show you the way…."**_ The voice sounded as if it was coming to his right as Riku turned and looked toward the Paopu tree and spotted a figure in a hooded brown cloak with red studded belts forming an X symbol across his chest. Whatever facial features this being had was impossible to discern in the darkness. Riku nodded as he headed toward the shack that connected to the bridge that led to the tree without a second thought.

The outside worlds at last…..

Riku ran up to the hooded figure who turned to greet him.

" _ **Good…..now we don't have much time. The walls that separate the worlds have grown weak, but our window of opportunity is small before it closes for good. Wait here while I open the way."**_

The cloaked figure didn't even give Riku a chance to respond before it faded away in a haze of darkness. Robbed of his opportunity to interrogate the man, Riku turned his attention to the massive ball of darkness in the sky.

"Is this what broke down the wall?"

The blazing ball of darkness cast an ominous pall upon the island as Riku's attention was so occupied by it, he failed to notice the shadows forming upon the beach just in time to greet the arriving Sora.

Riku glared at the ball with determination.

"I'm not afraid of the dark, I will get to the outside worlds…."

It wasn't long before Riku heard the sound of someone running up behind him.

"Where's Kairi? I thought she was with you!" the voice of Sora exclaimed from behind him. Kairi was missing? No….that couldn't be right.

"The door has opened." Riku said without turning.

Sora couldn't understand this strange response. "What?" he asked puzzled.

"The door has opened Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!" Riku repeated as he turned to face Sora. Why couldn't Sora understand? This was what they had worked for, this is what they had trained for!

"What are you talking about? We've got to find Kairi!" Sora shouted.

Why did they need to find Kairi? It made no sense to him, the answer was obvious.

"Kairi is coming with us!" Riku said as he began to feel it, the sense of power gathering around them. This must be it! His cloaked ally was beginning to open the way as promised. He had to make Sora understand…

"Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back!" Sora had to understand, this was their only chance! Riku knew he couldn't wait another 10 years for another opportunity, it was already unbearable waiting this long!

"But this may be our only chance, we can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!" he stated firmly as the feel of power gathering around them reached a crescendo that Sora didn't seem to notice at all. It was time…..

Riku silently extended his hand to Sora, his cloaked ally had done the same for him and Riku would help guide Sora as well.

"Riku….." Sora murmured in indecision, still torn by the desire to search for Kairi, unaware of her presence already on the island.

The path opened as a pool of darkness grew under Riku, tendrils of it creeping up his body and wrapping around him. He knew this darkness wouldn't hurt him, it cradled him in it's cool embrace feeling almost comforting.

As Sora saw this, he rushed forward to try to help his friend, believing the darkness was harming him. Sora balked as he realized the pool of darkness had spread under him as well, reaching up to grab him. Sora staggered as he reached out to try to grab Riku's hand as Riku waited patiently for him, his hand still outstretched to grab. The darkness soon blocked both boy's view of each other and swallowed everything.

The darkness blanketed everything Riku could see and everything he could feel. He felt no threat from it, just comforting security. Knowing there was nothing to fear, he relaxed and closed his eyes and let it run it's course knowing that his ally was taking him to where he needed to go.

He never realized or noticed that the darkness was cloaking the sense of something extremely important departing from his body and jumping into another person…..

When Riku next opened his eyes, he found himself standing on a small island of land, the howling winds of darkness cloaking the view all around him. As he walked forward, inspecting his surroundings he felt a now familiar presence behind him as he turned to face it.

The brown cloaked man stood behind him once more and he silently raised his cloaked limb and Riku felt a swirling darkness coalesce into being behind him.

" _ **The wall between worlds is thinnest here, I have opened a way out into the nearest world."**_

Riku glanced around realizing something important that only seemed to come to him now.

"Wait…..Sora and Kairi aren't here, how will they get out?"

" _ **Do not fret…..I sensed both of their presences on the island, while I wasn't able to bring them here directly, multiple paths out of the world will open, if they are resourceful, they will find their own way out."**_

Riku smirked as he considered this, his ally had kept his end of the deal so far, surely he would continue to.

"Well then, I'll have to track them down then once I get to the next world."

He turned and regarded the now open portal and strode toward it with confidence.

"After all, those two can't do anything without me." he said as he entered the portal and disappeared, the portal closing shortly afterwards.

The cloaked being turned and looked toward the remainder of the Destiny Islands that was rapidly being consumed as he registered the departure of another boy and girl from the world. Silently the cloaked being disappeared as well.

The world crumbled shortly afterwards and all was lost to the darkness.

Authors Note: Whew, and that's chapter 2 done. Sorry it took so long to get out to you all, debilitating tooth pain and a trip to the dentist to get it dealt with is highly distracting in regards to writing and delayed me a bit. As for the chapter itself, I had originally planned on start Riku's adventure in Deep Jungle, but decided I wanted to instead write about his point of view in the Destiny Islands. I wanted to get more into his head and expand on how his obsession with leaving the islands came to be. Hopefully I was able to do him justice. If you guys saw something I could improve on, I'm open to constructive criticism.


	3. No Life Leveling (omake)

I had originally planned on including this at the end of chapter 2, but ultimately decided to post this separately. This is a non cannon omake that would of taken place during chapter 2. Just a short update this time. I'll start working on chapter 3 soon.

No Life Level Grinding

It was a beautiful sunny day on the tranquil Destiny Islands. It was pleasantly warm without being overly hot, and the crashing waves of the ocean made a soothing backdrop of sound that all the islanders were deeply familiar with. Everything was nice and peaceful as Riku Kouzai relaxed as he sat on the curved trunk of the Paopu Tree as he watched the waves of the ocean.

He had just this morning turned in his final parts of the raft that they were planning to use to escape the islands. All that was left was to wait for Sora to finish gathering his parts, something that should honestly take even that slacker only a few hours to complete. Riku couldn't help but sigh ruefully, if Sora HAD actually stayed on task, they'd already be finished, but that lazybones couldn't help but take a nap on the beach.

Shading his eyes with his hand as he glanced up at the sun, even Riku had to admit it was a perfect day to take a nap on the beach. Even he indulged in it sometimes to be honest. AFTER finishing his share of work for the day, no way was he going to be a slacker!

Returning his gaze to the ocean, Riku heaved a sigh of contentment, the long wait was almost over. Tomorrow the group would finish gathering the food and water provisions for the trip, and then the day after they could finally set sail. Even if he couldn't awaken his power, surely they'd find a way out if they looked hard enough.

Riku's thoughts were interrupted at the sound of running feet on the bridge behind him.

"Awesome! Found a log! One more thing checked off the list!" Sora's voice exclaimed.

Riku turned his head to grin at his friend, "Don't tell me you're still searching for the items for the raft! I gave my stuff to Kairi hours ago!"

Sora crossed his arms and huffed, "Gimme a break Riku, I've been busy!"

Riku couldn't help but frown in puzzlement, where the heck did that log Sora picked up go? It's as if it just vanished into thin air. Weird.

"Well since you've already wasted this much time, what's a little more? You up for a quick round Sora? Grab your sword." Riku challenged as he hopped off the trunk of the tree and turned to Sora, brandishing his wooden sword. As he did though, Riku couldn't help but be internally startled.

What the heck!? How'd he pull his ordinary wooden sword out of thin air? He'd never been able to do this before!

Occupied by these thoughts, he completely missed it when Sora briefly flashed a malicious smirk of glee.

"Alright Riku, you're on! I'm totally going to waste you this time!" he cheered as with a flick of his wrist Sora suddenly pulled his own wooden sword out of thin air too!

Riku tried to mentally reign himself in and stop thinking about the sudden weirdness and focus on the fight as he flashed a cocky smile.

"Please Sora, you still don't got it." he goaded as he waggled the pointer finger of his free hand in a 'tsk tsk' motion. "You've gotten better, but you still don't have what it takes to surpass me. This one decides the champion!" he jumped back and readied his stance.

"Don't be so sure Riku, I've been grinding my levels like crazy since this morning!" Sora declared as he slid into his own stance.

Riku couldn't help but snort a laugh at this goofy statement, "Seriously Sora? Levels? What is this, an RPG or something?" Riku tapped his sword in the palm of his hand in a playfully mocking gesture before giving it a swipe, "So what level are you Sora, Level 6 or something?" he asked, playing along with the joke.

The light from the sun suddenly seemed to dim around them as an utterly crushing sense of power descended over Riku, freezing him in place as he suddenly felt as if he was a tiny animal in front of a much larger predator. The suffocating shadows obscured his friend's face, but Riku could swear he could see his eyes glowing with an almost demonic light.

"Not Level 6 Riku, try Level 100!" Sora grinned and without even giving Riku a chance to respond, surged forward with a speed Riku couldn't even begin to follow and swiped with his sword. "BATTER UP!" Sora yelled.

The blow struck true with punishing force as with a cry of pain and surprise Riku rocketed off into the sky, rapidly vanishing into distance, seeming to disappear in a twinkle of light. Almost a mile away he finally rocketed into the ocean, fountaining a geyser of water that almost seemed to touch the sky. A few seconds later a thoroughly unconscious Riku floated faceup to the surface.

If anyone awake had been present, they would of sworn they had heard a dinging bell ringing in the distance.

It was a splendid knockout.

Meanwhile…..

On the beach of the island, lay a groaning heap of three kids. They all seemed to be a mass of black, blue, and purple bruises.

It was on that day that Selphie, Wakka, and Tidus made a pact. To never help that maniac Sora train again! That insane psycho just wouldn't stop! NEVER AGAIN! They would hang up their weapons forever and walk the path of peace.

To do otherwise was just too painful.

"Ugghh….Tidus, why did you give Sora a potion every time he beat the three of us?" Selphie whined, "Also, where the heck did you get so many potions anyway!?"

Author's note: Just a little for fun omake, poking fun at those who spend dozens of hours leveling up to level 100 in the destiny islands simply for shits and giggles.


	4. Chapter 3: A Traverse Into Town Part 1

To what readers I have I first want to say I am so sorry it has taken so long for me to get this chapter out. I have been having just one emergency after another. Almost got kicked out of my apartment, having a severe financial situation, having to get a new job so I don't go broke and end up on the streets, and still just trying to get some capital going so I'm not constantly in danger of going broke. It's been horrifically stressful and has killed my mood to write on the rare occasion I did have time. Things are finally starting to calm down somewhat so I'm hoping to be able to get back to a more regular writing schedule. Alright without any further stalling, ON WITH THE SHOW!

Traverse Town

\- Sora -

Awareness came back to Sora slowly. How long had he been out? The dazed boy couldn't tell, for all he knew it had been months. Sora's eyelids fluttered as he blearily tried to open his eyes, vaguely seeing a colored shape in front of him.

"Kairi?" he muttered drowsily as he tried to bring the sight in front of him into focus.

Sora was promptly assaulted by a warm, wet, and thoroughly slimy sensation as whatever this shape was responded by licking him in the face.

Sora sputtered as he tried to scrub the offending drool off his face as he now felt much more aware of his surroundings.

"What's going on? Where am I?" he muttered as he could see a yellow dog sitting in front of him staring at him as the dog panted happily, it's thin black tail wagging furiously.

Sora glanced around in confusion at the unfamiliar alleyway he found himself in, unable to remember how he apparently got here.

"What kind of weird dream is this?" he muttered as the dog cocked his head to the side and reared up and slammed Sora in the chest with his front paws, startling him as well as knocking the wind out of him. The rough movement jostled the sleeping and until now unnoticed Kairi awake who groaned in dazed protest.

"Five more minutes Dad…...it's the Weekend….." she grumbled as she began to wake up, drowsily scrubbing at her eyes with her hand. She blearily looked around before focusing on Sora. "Sora?" she paused as she glanced around taking in the sight of the alleyway. "What's going on? Where are we?"

Sora frowned as both he and Kairi climbed to their feet and stood up. "That's a good question…." he muttered, "I know I've never seen this place before….hoo boy…."

Sora stepped forward as he addressed the dog who continued to watch the two teens. "Do you know where we are?"

"Um Sora….you do realize that's a dog right?" Kairi chimed in as Sora could help but wince at how ridiculous he sounded talking to an animal and expecting a response. Yet even as he thought this, the dog cocked it's head to the side as if he understood the question perfectly and turned and ran out of the alleyway at full speed.

"Hey wait!" Sora called out to the departing dog as both he and Kairi ran after the dog and into the town square.

The two teens came to a stop as they took in the new scenery. The town was quite unfamiliar with the lines of houses, shops, and even a cafe. All lit by strategically placed streetlights that drew back the curtain of gloom in this twilight town. There was only one conclusion that Sora could come to now with the truth staring him in the face.

"Sora…...there's no town like this on the islands…..we have to be in another world somehow…." Kairi whispered uneasily to him as she drew closer to him, unknowingly echoing the very thoughts running through his head now.

They'd finally done it. They'd reached another world. The culmination of their hopes and dreams. Yet after everything that had happened on that fateful evening, Sora found he couldn't enjoy the situation he found himself in.

Not at all.

The two teens watched the comings and goings as people moved about the square, conversing in low tones, some just simply sitting in the shadows of buildings. The mood in the area seemed to be somber and scared as people huddled either in small groups or as individuals. Both of them could see people dressed in a variety of outfits and what seemed to be from a variety of cultures.

"Are these all residents of the town? A lot of them seem to be pretty different from each other." Kairi said as she turned to Sora.

"Maybe they're like us and are from other worlds…...I think the bigger question is what are we going to do here? We don't have any place to go either, while I have my wallet on me, I don't have a lot of munny on me."

Kairi frowned with a pensive look. "Same here….I have some munny, but I can't imagine it's enough to stay somewhere for more than a few days at most. What about Riku and the others from the islands? If we made it here, surely the others did too, should we look for them?"

"It's as good a place as any to start, better than just standing around lost." he said as the two teens nodded at each other and took their first true step into uncharted territory.

Sora and Kairi spent the next 15 minutes or so asking around as they spoke to the people in the square as they gave the descriptions of Riku, the other Destiny Islands kids, and various other people they knew and asked if they had been seen, but try as they might, nobody they spoke to had seen any sign of the islanders.

As time passed they learned more about this new world they had found themselves in, called Traverse Town, it seemed to be a gathering point from refugees lost or displaced from their homes. The residents were sympathetic to what they quickly realized were new arrivals but were unable to offer much in the way of help. Soon enough Sora and Kairi found themselves sitting at a table at the town's cafe, thoroughly dejected at their lack of progress.

"This isn't good…..no one has seen any sign of the others." he sighed as the two of them nursed the drinks they had ordered from the kindly cafe staff who had been quite accommodating when they realized the duo were new arrivals to town.

"Sora…." Kairi looked troubled as she gripped her drink, "Do you think any of the others made it here? What if they….."

"Don't say that Kairi! We can't lose faith in them already!" even as he tried to encourage his friend, Sora couldn't help but feel the nagging grip of doubt closing around him. He mentally shook himself as he continued, "We've only barely begun to search the town, that informational map we saw said this was the First District right? If they aren't here, they must of ended up in one of the other districts! We'll just have to search them all!"

Kairi offered a tentative smile, "You're right….we can't succeed if we don't try after all. Lead the way."

The two teens paid for their drinks and set out to resume their search as they paused to consult the Town Map one more time and set out for the Second District.

Of all the things Sora and Kairi could of expected when they arrived in the Second District, what greeted them was anything but what they could of guessed…..

"Ah…..Ahhhhhhh!" screamed a male voice from their right, making the two teens leap with frightened surprise. A townsman was running toward them, his hand outstretched to them.

"H….help me please!" the man shouted and before the teens could react a wet squelching sound resounded as a dark clawed fist burst through the man's chest in a spray of blood before the shocked teens eyes who couldn't move before the shocking sight. They could only look on in dull horror as the shadowy hand was gripping something that shone with a soft light.

It was a glowing heart.

The moment passed as the shadow hand ripped itself back out of the man's body gripping it's prize as the man collapsed face down with a choking gurgle, a pool of blood slowly spreading underneath. The man's attacker was visible now, a miniature shadowy solider with an angry looking red and black emblem of a heart with an x through it, complete with a helmet that clanked open and shut as the being moved the darkness within lit by two blazing golden eyes that regarded the heart it had stolen silently.

It opened it's hand and let the glowing hand fall to the ground as just before it touched the pavement a portal of darkness opened underneath it to swallow it as the corpse of the unfortunate man convulsed as an inky black cloud of darkness shrouded the fallen body as another shadowy solider burst forth from it in a flare of unholy black light.

The dark figures straightened as they fixed their burning stares on the two teens who had finally snapped out of their stupors from witnessing the brutal passing of the unfortunate townsman. Without even a conscious directive from them, their keyblades appeared in their hands with dual flashes of light.

"Get ready Kairi…..." he murmured as his sweaty hand tightened it's grip on his keyblade, just as he was preparing to charge the dark figures he could hear more bursting sounds from all around him just like when the creatures had first appeared.

"S….Sora…..." Kairi's uneasy voice reached him as she put herself back to back with him as he saw several more Shadow Soldiers shuffle into view around him.

They were surrounded…..

The Soldiers slowly circled their prey as the two teens tensed up. They had never seen these type of creatures before and were outnumbered at least four to one, not good odds at all. Sora grit his teeth as he scrambled to think of a strategy, moving from his position would leave Kairi's back wide open, and his would be if she moved. They were well and truly pinned. Just as the monsters tensed and prepared to pounce….

"That will be quite enough of that. _**Thundaga**_!" a woman's voice coolly intoned accompanied by a snap from her fingers.

Massive bolts of lightning rained from the cloudless heavens, striking the shadowy knights with pinpoint accuracy, promptly reducing them to piles of dark ash which melted away into nothing leaving unmarked pavement.

"Accursed Heartless…..they don't usually wander into this district very often…." the woman mused as Sora and Kairi turned toward the voice, the gentle sound of heels clacking on the ground as the woman walked into view.

She was in a word, stunning. A beautiful green haired woman clad in flowing green and golden robes armed with a decidedly mystical looking whip attached to her belt. Even Kairi found herself enthralled along with Sora by the woman's almost otherworldly aura and the sheer sense of power she seemed to emanate.

"Well now, two new guests to our fair city." the woman paused as her gaze strayed to the keyblades that the duo was still holding. "Those are some interesting swords you're carrying, I don't believe I've ever seen anything like them." Sora couldn't help but find himself tongue-tied when the beauty smiled.

"Er….they're our keyblades ma'am!" he said only to cut himself off with a pained grunt as Kairi swiftly elbowed him in the side.

"What my ever so eloquent friend meant to say first was thank you for saving us ma'am! That was looking really dangerous for us!" Kairi cut in as she bobbed a bow of thanks to the woman, one Sora scrambled to copy as his manners caught up with the rest of his brain.

The woman chuckled softly at the teens antics, "Think nothing of it, the Heartless are a menace. Allow me to welcome you both to Traverse Town! My name is Rydia."

"So tell me, do you both have a place to stay yet?"

In short order the two teens found themselves led toward a nearby building by their new friend, topped by a lit up sign prominently displaying the word hotel. Rydia flashed them both of smile as she waved her hand at the building in a playfully exaggerated gesture as she exclaimed,

"Welcome to the Traverse Town Hotel! Your soon to be humble abode and my place of work!"

"Wow….." Kairi murmured as the took in the humbly quaint hotel as the group stood outside it, "This hotel belongs to you Miss Rydia? It's quite nice!"

Rydia couldn't help but laugh sheepishly as she shook her head, "Please call me Rydia, Miss makes me feel old. It's not so much that I own it, but with how the Heartless tend to drift into this district every so often, Leon needed someone to watch the place and this Hotel was a decent place to do it from."

"You mentioned the Heartless earlier," Sora chimed in, "Just what are these things anyway?"

Rydia's face darkened as she took in a deep breath. "That…..that is a long story and not something that we should get into in the middle of the street. Come inside and lets get comfortable."

Sora, who was at the front of the group, nodded as he stepped toward the door and reached out to open it.

Just as he did however, the doors burst open and two figures burst through it.

"C'mon Goofy, we've got to keep looking for Leo….waaakkk!" the figure squawked as it barreled straight into Sora knocking both of them to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

Kari couldn't help but look on in shocked surprise as Sora and the figure, which turned out to be an anthropomorphic duck person who felt to be vaguely familiar to her, tried to extricate themselves from each other with noisy protests yet only managed to tangle themselves even more thoroughly with each other.

The other figure, an anthropomorphic dog person seemed puzzled by the whole ordeal and just looked on in bewilderment.

"Donald? What're you doing down there? Weren't we going to look for Leon?" he asked.

"Hey...hey! What's the big idea!? Get off me you big palooka!" Donald yelled as he and Sora struggled to separate, "Don't just sand there and stare you lump! Give me a hand Goofy!"

As both Kari and Goofy joined the struggle to pry apart the lump that was soon to be running the risk of having to be dubbed the life-form Dora, Rydia could only stand off to the side and sigh as she resisted the urge to facepalm as the noisy melee in front of the hotel continued.

It took several minutes to finally separate the two, and another couple of minutes to stop the argument between Donald and Sora over who ran into who.

At the very least until a rather pointed cough from the increasingly annoyed Rydia reminded Donald of her presence as he laughed nervously at the sight of her tapping her foot.

"Now boys, I understand that you're in a hurry, but could you please refrain from causing a scene in front of the hotel? You're going to disturb the other guests."

"Gwarsh, we're sorry Miss Rydia, we know you said you'd be right back but we're just in such a hurry and Donald couldn't wait any longer." Goofy said sheepishly and then glanced at Sora and Kairi before continuing, "Who's this? Friends of yours?"

"They're the reason I had to step out. I found them outside being swarmed by Heartless. Donald and Goofy, meet Sora and Kairi." Rydia said as she gestured at them.

Donald frowned once he heard of the attack, his prior anger at Sora forgotten. "Are you both ok? The Heartless are dangerous!" he glaringly searched the district with his eyes, searching for more signs of foes.

"We're fine really, Rydia helped us out. Honestly I'm glad she got there when she did, it was looking really bad. Her magic is really impressive!" Sora said as he grinned.

"Now as promised boys, I'll tell you were Leon is before we got so rudely interrupted by the Heartless. You can find him in Third District, he's currently inspecting the district with the others while based out of the abandoned house there. You can't miss it." Rydia said as she proceeded to give them detailed instructions on the route to get there. "I'll call ahead to him so he knows to expect you."

Both Donald and Goofy thanked Rydia profusely before running off in a hurry, quickly disappearing from view as Rydia turned back to her guests with a smile. "Now come inside and lets get you both settled. I still owe you that explanation after all."

The trio proceeded into the hotel as Rydia let them into a nearby room who's door sign labeled it the Red Room.

Sora couldn't help but laugh internally as it quickly became apparent why as the entire room was furnished with red items and furniture.

"I'll be right back, I just have to place a quick call and let Leon know the King's emissaries are here." Rydia said as she moved toward the door.

"King's emissaries?" Kairi asked, "It sounds like Donald and Goofy must be pretty important."

"Yes, emissaries of the King of Disney Castle Mickey. He's been investigating the rising Heartless threat and he's come here a few times to meet with Leon and the gang. Something important must of happened if his knight captain and court magician came all the way out here."

Kairi's eyes widened as a tickle of familiarity sparked in the back of her mind, but how could it be? Surely there was more than one person named Mickey out there. It had to be a coincidence.

Both Kairi and Sora exchanged glances as Rydia left the room after assuring them that she'll be right back. It truly had been a weird day today.

Rydia

As she walked down the hallway, heading to the front desk's phone, she couldn't help but reflect over the unusual duo that seemed to have fallen into her lap.

When she had first heard the cries for help from the unfortunate man and her rush to try to save him, she couldn't help but be aware of the foul taint of the Heartless tugging at her sense. A taint that she would never truly forget.

Sadly she had been too late to save the unfortunate man but when she reached the Heartless to her surprise she had found two teenagers wielding the strangest weapons that she had ever seen.

Two key-shaped swords.

Even she had heard the legends, so had Leon as well. The two of them had even spent time discussing it in the past. Now the legend has become real it seems.

But they were so young…..and it was clear to her they were just starting out as well. Would they even be able to manage? So fresh after their world had been devoured? The Heartless would never leave them alone.

She had a call to make.

Dialing the number she settled in to wait and soon her patience was rewarded as Leon gave his customary greeting.

"Leon it's me. The King's emissaries are on their way to you and should be arriving shortly. Now I need you to listen to me and be calm. The Keyblade has shown itself, also I…." she was forced to cut herself off at Leon's rather vocal explanation over the phone.

"Leon if you could shut up for five seconds and let me finish!" she barked before calming herself with an effort, "Leon there's more than one keyblade. It's two teenagers, Sora and Kairi. They both have one and they're apparently greener than grass."

She sighed as Leon went on an even louder tirade. "Trust me I know! Fate of the worlds and all of that. Look, just leave it to me alright, I'll give them the explanation on what's going on and we'll see if we can't get them situated. Just relax and we'll get them through this. Take care of the King's subordinates and see what they're here for. Leave the Keybladers to me."

She smirked as she listened to Leon's response. "Yes it has to be me who does it. They already know and trust me. You're likely to do something silly like try to 'test' them or something."

After listening to Leon's response she sighed, "I know Leon, trust me I know, we've all lost something to these monsters. I don't know what decides these things but these kids need our help and support. Trust me on this one alright."

Rydia paused as she could hear the sound of knocking on the door from Leon's side of the phone.

"It sounds like they've arrived, I've got to get back to the kids. Talk to you soon." after hanging up Rydia made her way back to the room her guests were in, a sense of quiet determination filling her heart.

"I'll make you proud of me Mom. I won't let those kids fail."

-Kairi-

Both she and Sora perked up as they heard the returning footsteps of their host after they had spent the last few minutes quietly discussing their next possible move, as Rydia soon entered the room.

"Sorry about the wait you two, Leon can be a bit excitable at times, though you'd never know it looking at the guy. Now I owe you both that explanation. What do you both know about hearts?'

Sora frowned at the non sequitur and it was left of her to voice the response to the question.

"That's the organ that pumps blood through our bodies."

Rydia nodded as she continued, "Indeed it does Kairi, but many have often theorized that this amazing little organ is actually far more than that. Most people think it is our Bodies and Souls that make up who we are, but it's also theorized that our Hearts are as well."

Both Sora and herself found themselves listening intently as Rydia began her lecture, but she couldn't help but feel a tingle of familiarity in these words, as Rydia's voice began to be overlaid with the voice of an older gentleman in her mind.

"Just as people are capable of good acts and bad acts, researchers have found that Hearts are filled with both Light and Darkness. One of the greatest researchers of our time was a brilliant man known as _**Ansem**_."

She concealed a wince as she felt a light headache in her head as her mind seemed to taste that name. Ansem. Why was it so familiar? She mentally shook herself as she tried to focus on the lecture knowing that Rydia's words were important.

"Ansem made a rather thorough study of the Heart, he was famous for it even. He found that more than people could have Hearts, even the Worlds themselves had Hearts. But he delved too deeply, he became to fascinated with Hearts and the Darkness within them. He wanted to protect his world and his people, but it seemed he lost his way in the process. Because thanks to his meddling, the Heartless began to appear."

"So this Ansem guy created the Heartless?" Sora asked with a grim expression of anger on his face.

-Meanwhile-

"No one really knows for sure." Leon growled as the leather coated man sat across from Donald and Goofy with Yuffie the ninja and Aerith the healer watching from close by. "What little information we've been able to gather, hordes of Heartless began spreading from his lab. I don't know if Ansem created them or if his action simply called them but the Heartless quickly devoured our world. Not many people got out."

"He published a lot in his reports so he apparently kept experimenting with Darkness even after he could see what was going on." Yuffie piped up.

"Ansem's reports? Would it be possible for us to see them" Goofy asked.

Aerith shook her head sadly, "When our world was destroyed, the reports were scattered and lost. There's no telling where they could be by now."

-Kairi-

"That's too bad...maybe the reports would have had some way to stop the Heartless in them." she muttered.

"But what do the Heartless even want?" Sora asked as well.

Rydia's countenance grew grim, "Hearts themselves. The little monsters are obsessed with them. They even seem to feed on them in some way, the more Hearts they devour, the more of themselves they make. Ansem even theorized that if a person was to lose themselves to Darkness completely they could even lose their Heart to Darkness and become a Heartless themselves."

Rydia shook her head and sighed as she continues, "The parasitical little vermin feed and feed on a world all the while searching for one thing. The Heart Of The World. Think of it like the World's core. Every world has what's called a keyhole and if the Heartless find it and enter it they gain access to that World's Heart, and if they devour it…..."

Both Sora and herself felt a cold chill grip them as the implication of Rydia's words were clear.

"The world and all of it's people are lost. Just like your world."

-Meanwhile-

"What about the King? Has King Mickey come through here?" Donald asks.

"Unfortunately not for quite awhile. Last time we saw him he said he was searching for something." Leon replied.

"Where could he have gone!? A Heartless invasion is the worst time for him to disappear!" Donald exclaimed.

"If he's not looking for a way to stop the Heartless, could he be searching for the Princesses of Heart?" Aerith mentioned.

"Princesses of Heart?" Donald muttered as he racked his brain.

"Oh! I remember that! You know Donald, the seven hearts of pure light that have no darkness in them!"

-Sora-

"At first we thought the Heartless were merely looking to just simply devour everyone and everything." Rydia continued as both teens digested what they've already learned. "But their movements and attacks have been too direct, too coordinated. They seem to be searching for something."

"Searching? What could they be searching for?" he asked.

"Our current running theory is that whatever is directing the Heartless is currently search for the Princ…."

Rydia was suddenly cut off as the deafening sound of an armored fist punching through the Hotel wall facing the street burst in before lunging in to grab Kairi who let out a scream of surprise as both she and the armored fist disappeared into the night.

"KAIRI!"

 _ **Alright, that's a good stopping point for this segment of the chapter. As always your feedback helps me grow and expand my skill.**_


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